I am getting tired of you saying things that make no sense, and I deeply resent that accusation.
It is not racist to say that Jamaican music is more popular with Jamaican people, or people of Jamaican descent. I am not saying white people will not be influenced by this kind of music if they listen to it, but I don’t think many white people do listen to it.

Getting back to the original point:
David Cameron was correct to say we should have stricter controls on the type of music allowed in our country, but this issue only affects a small part of the population. Giving more control to teachers is the most important thing.

I am not an expert on rap music, but I get the impression this area of music is made mostly by Jamaicans or British-Jamaicans, for Jamaicans and British-Jamaicans

I assume you took the time to actually watch the documentary I sent you – how many white faces do you see?

As Cameron said, the best step towards tackling homophobia in young people overall is to give more control to headteachers and staff

Please stop wasting my time with non-points

As a potential representative in national government for Brighton Pavilion, I am very clear about my role. It is to take up and act upon the concerns of our community. I am therefore involved in our train services, our health services, our voluntary sector and our business community.

Will writes that I am against the sale of Preston Park fire station – this is not entirely correct. The truth is, I have no view on it. No one in our community has ever complained to me about moving the Preston Park fire station. If Nancy Platts, the Labour candidate, wants to make it the centre piece of her campaign, she is welcome to – I believe that Brighton has far bigger issues for our potential representative to involve themselves in and I don’t want to play politics with a fire station. I trust those with far more experience than I to decide the best place for fire station and don’t feel any pressure from the community to wade into this particular arena.

However, I would also like to take the opportunity to expand on Will’s excellent summary of what a Conservative government will do for students. One of the most important things we will do for students is to get the economy moving again. Students need and want jobs when they graduate. Careers that are worthwhile and fulfilling in the public, private and third sectors – not pointless jobs that are created out of fresh air using buckets of taxpayers’ money (of which there is in any event none left). With the economy in the state it is in and the public finances shot to pieces, we have our work cut out – but I firmly believe that a Conservative government can create an environment for job creation and my experience has shown me that if people can afford to employ people, they will.

For example, we will encourage people to set up businesses at home, which is where most businesses start. A Conservative government will remove the restriction in council tenancy agreements which currently prevents tenants from starting a business at home. This is a good example of fresh thinking – making things better without just throwing money at the problem.

And finally, to Economic Turtle, your comments are genuinely funny. I haven’t been in politics for that long and I find your adherence to age-old, incorrect stereotypes about Conservatives amusing. Take off your blinkers, put tribal loyalties to one side and see where this country is; then make an informed decision about what will be best for the whole community – rich and poor, young and old, gay and straight …..

Oh course that is cos only WORKING-CLASS BLACK people listen to rap, right?

Own-goal.

Guess what? Everyone is different, with different experiences which build their personalities, so what´s funny to someone, might be offensive and “wrong” because its unknown to them and dont understand it.

Sadly, the internet gives close-minded people like you a “voice” if you will. Fuck, reading your stupid articles just made me mad. I tought that maybe there would be some credibility behing your bashing of Hunter S. Thompson but this article just confirmed what I just said.

Take it as constructive criticism, if not, then fuck you, don´t write anymore, PLEASE.

I am a member of the LGBT group, and we recently watched this documentary together for LGBT month:
http://www.channel4.com/programmes/batty-man/4od
I think it shows that rappers are contributing to homophobia, although obviously only within the working-class black community.

His comment that
“The most important instrument of the state is to allow head teachers to keep order in their schools. To search for things, without having to have evidence that there’s weapons involved. To set proper punishments in schools, to exclude pupils who are bullies, or take part in bullying, without being overruled by an appeals panel”
Sounds sensible to me. Let teachers do their job, don’t drown them in red tape. They know how to do their jobs better than Gordon Brown does.

Sorry for the slow reply.

You have criticised the Tories, Lib Dems, Labour, SWP and the Greens. What actually are your views?
“And trust me, I’ve spoken to members from all the major parties, one of the downsides of my previous job” – what was that? Out of curiosity.

- I am glad we agree about Lucas. She is not likely to be PM anytime soon, but if the greens win this constituency, it will just encourage them more.

- I overexaggerated about the voting. Students make up a vital part of Brighton’s trade, culture and population, and deserve to be represented. It just makes me angry that students can register to vote twice when, I assume, homeless people cannot register once.

- I don’t think there are many people whose parents will pay outright for their fees. The policy is aimed at sending the message that graduates should use their degree to get a good job, start earning their own money, and pay back their loan sooner rather than later. This policy does not punish those who can’t, but does reward those who can. I think it’s a good policy.

- The BBC article is dated 2/1/09
I got my information from the Conservative party website:
http://www.conservatives.com/Policy/Security_Agenda.aspx
If you look at the downloadable document listed to the right on the top, you will see on the second page the date says 6/1/07
This is another example of Labour stealing policies from the Conservatives, and another example of why I’m definitely voting Conservative.

- I don’t think it is common to find “a few windfarms”, I think they usually have to be in very large numbers to have any affect at all. I am from a rural constituency (Suffolk coastal) and I think it is very hard for rural voters to get their voices heard, especially when snobbish left-leaning suburban/urban voters stereotype them as bigoted, ignorant, uneducated and even racist. If wind-farms were actually an effective energy source maybe there wouldn’t be so much NIMBYism. We have the Sizewell nuclear power plant, which no-one minds having in their back yard, because it is effective and doesn’t waste 20 fields that could be used for pasture or crops.

- I am aware of Cameron’s voting record. It does make me uncomofortable, but he has apologised for S28 and we are now trying harder to reach out to gay groups. Correct me if I’m wrong, wasn’t that under William Hague? Hague was very firmly right-wing and raised eyebrows even from his own party. If the vote against repeal was a 2 or 3 line whip, Cameron may have felt he had little choice. He had only just become a new MP and wouldn’t have had the confidence to rebel against the party line. It depends which attempt at repeal you are talking about though. Cameron’s voting certainly wasn’t right, but we need to understand what kind of situation he was in at the time.
Cameron stood for the leadership of the party on the platform of liberalisation, modernisation and change. To everyone’s surprise, the party voted for him instead of the traditionalist David Davis. I take this as proof that both the party and Cameron have moved beyond that part of our history.

- http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article3606523.ece
“What effect will the free votes have?

All three clauses are still expected to pass. While about 50 Labour MPs may vote against, about 40 Conservatives and 50 Lib Dems are likely to back them. The majority could top 100.”

I don’t know much about this issue but I think this is more about the Catholic/religious conservative element of the party. I do not support them, and Charlotte Vere is not one of them. Con. MPs elected by a very religious constituency have to represent the views of their electorate and their church. It seems to me that quite a few Cons supported the bill, and quite a few Labour MPs were against it. This is more about religion and morality than normal party politics.

- “have you seen how much they’re losing every year? ”
No, could you reference that?
If the mostly-Tory council vote against it, they’re homophobic. If they vote for it, it’s financially irresponsible. It’s a lose-lose situation. I think they realised that not helping the Brighton gay-pride would have repercussions throughout the whole country and damage our chance to get back into Downing Street.

- I agree with you that the fanatics are still better than the apathetic. I was thinking more of the Tory party’s general failure overall to reach out to young people, the persistent “nasty party” stereotype, and how difficult it is to get people just to give us a chance, especially in such a liberal-left university. If people disagree with us then fine, but they could at least have a quick glance at our website before writing us off forever.

- Point taken. I was just trying to make a serious article a bit more light-hearted.

What a ridiculous notion…that to claim back our power, we must relinquish it. I don’t understand this. Please explain how this will actually work. I am also interested to know why it is you think to salvage our “deeply wounded democracy” we need to not take part in it?

How on earth would not voting do anything to force a change in the electoral system? Or indeed change the face of elitist politics? It simply gives one no justification to complain, whinge or moan, as we all love to do in this country, about the government if you choose not to have your say in deciding who the government is.

Please explain how allowing the minority of the population (a real danger if enough people abstain and listen to people like you) decide the government for the majority is a positive thing? Because surely you know that not everyone in the country won’t vote, it will be that corner of the population are forever unsatisfied and refuse to find anything positive about any part of politics whatsoever.

This is OUR general election, not the parties. It is being run for US to decide who we want to lead our country and who we think will take it in the best direction. It is more a time for us to not to allow our politics to be defined and confined by those parties who have ruled for so long. The parties responsible for the negativity and pessimism that seems to define your political tactics.

It is the alternative fringe parties time to shine. Give them a chance, and give what democracy we do have a chance for christs sake.

“Is the situation really ‘undemocratic’ or just democracy was not favourable to the anti referendum group? ” put it to the vote then and see, art thou afraid?

Of course marx was anti-semitic he had contempt and hostility for Judaism as it was associated by him with capitalism. His followers, seem to agree Naom Chomsky has no association with any jewish community. Shlomo Sand is not anti-zionist as such, he believes the destruction of Israel would be immoral. I have here him say so, in a talk. Your arguements seem to implie because a very tiny micro-biological number to Jewish people seem to agree with you. Then hate of the vast majority of the Jewish people, is ok. That is those evil Zionists.

“The difference between discrimination and genocide is minimal” is that a joke? it’s a tasteless and poor one if it is. The holocaust and not being to get, membership of a Golf club.

Cute.

[From an interview with David Cameron by Johann Hari - http://johannhari.com//2010/02/04/david-cameron-the-interview

"the way to stop homophobic violence? ban some rappers. the most 'tory' answer ever?"

[http://foreverdelayed.org.uk/forum/showpost.php?p=1931841&postcount=82]

Thank you for responding to my points. Just a few things that have tickled me.

- I COMPLETELY agree with you about Caroline Lucas, she has never had a real job and I really find her difficult to stomach. She is a relentless PR machine. BUT, and despite this, I really do not think she will become our PM…

- Regarding your comment about how Lucas cannot represent our constituency if she is voted in by students who are only here for half the year. It’s an interesting point, but surely this is one that is valid for ALL candidates, Green, Labour, Tory etc etc? I don’t agree with you on this, I think everyone has a right to representation, whether that is in their university or home town. What’s next? Half-votes for students? If you’re being consistent, second-home owners should have their suffrage restricted too. Should we get back to the days when wealthy individuals had several votes? One-person-one-vote is one of the most sensible things in our very mixed-up, in need of reform electoral system.

- I don’t think that having the wealth and means – inheritance, rich parents – to pay back your student loan ahead of some clever sod who doesn’t have these privileges is really something that should be ‘reward[ed]’, as you put it. It’s not ‘tak[ing] the initiative either’.

- ‘Yes, that’s right, I wake up every morning thinking of new ways to screw over the majority of our population, oh shit, you got me’ Thanks, I’ve never heard a Tory speak so earnestly. And trust me, I’ve spoken to members from all the major parties, one of the downsides of my previous job. Sure, Labour-ites are policy-mad technocrats, Libdems are policy-less and devilishly malevolent campaigners, but an EARNEST TORY? Whatever next.

- Yes, these are two examples of many other Tory environmental policies. Fine. Except you mentioned THESE TWO EXAMPLES in your article, and THESE TWO EXAMPLES happen to be policies that Labour – the Government – has already said they will put in place.

Here are the references you asked for, is the BBC an ok source for you? I have others, if you wish.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8389880.stm

The article says that ‘Plans have also been announced for a smart grid to manage the flows of electricity and to increase the use of renewable energy’ AND ‘Plans for smart meters for millions of homes have been unveiled with trials suggesting the £8bn scheme may help people save £28 a year.’

- Re windfarms, ‘they’re not the ones who have to deal with them everyday’. So, a few wind turbines, mm difficult to deal with. I agree with you that wind turbines are inefficient, I’m much more in favour of nuclear power, HOWEVER I believe that we need a mix of energy sources, which includes windfarms. I find your comment very helpful in proving that Tory NIMBYism still exists, and is acknowledged by Tories.

- Actually, I take your point about Section 28 being in the past, even though Cameron did vote AGAINST its being repealed in the last decade. As in, not the 1980s, not the 1990s, but post-2000. However, more of an issue for me regarding my interest in the Tory party is the consistent voting AGAINST LGBT equality on various issues. For example, the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act, which gives more rights to same-sex couples who would like a child. I distinctly remember certain VERY HIGH PROFILE TORIES voting against this saying that it would ruin the family (the mythical heteronormative husband-wife family with 2.1 children). Denying same-sex couples the same rights IS homophobic.

- I totally disagree that it’s a good investment. It’s a failing business with a terrible business model – have you seen how much they’re losing every year? Thought propping up loss-making businesses for no apparent reason was what Labour did…

- I find your comment that ‘a lot’ of our peers at Sussex are ‘politically biased’ and need a ‘nudge’ to be ill-informed and reactionary. To be honest, I’d rather we had the SWP-rent-a-mob and the insane Green lot than legions of the apathetic at Sussex… If anything, THEY, the apathetic, are the ones who need a ‘nudge’. This is something we should all be working on, raising awareness of the political system and how it operates, encouraging participation and so on.

PS William, your point no. 7 – I didn’t realise Charlotte Vere was in ‘university-level politics’. I really thought she was standing for Brighton Pavilion, you know, to be a MP for the British Parliament? WEIRD – I never saw her manifesto on the USSU site for sabbs elections…